WSU ready to get back at it
COUGARS
FROM PULLMAN -- With the Pac-12's modified basketball schedule this season, there's even less time than before to simmer over a Saturday loss/celebrate an important win. For WSU this week, that's a good thing. Read on.
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Hard to believe that a little more than 24 hours after Ken Bone and WSU players address the media on Tuesday, the Cougars will be back on the court for a game against Utah on Wednesday night. They'll be trying to snap a 3-game losing streak, their second such drought this season. And while Utah is considerably better than it was last year -- the Utes are tough defensively and had chances to win three of their first four conference games, all of which resulted in losses -- there probably isn't another team in the Pac-12 the Cougars would rather see after a rough trip to the Bay Area. ... Speaking of those losses, they've got some folks a little upset, as detailed by Howie Stalwick in this story quoting Bill Moos from his weekly call-in show. Moos' stance, as is customary: wait and see how the season plays out. ... The editorial board of the Walla Walla Union Bulletin weighs in on Mike Leach and the football program. ... Utah is trying to simplify its offense as it prepares to face WSU.
Around the Pac-12 ... The big news yesterday was the firing of USC coach Kevin O'Neill, who compiled a 48-65 record as the Trojans' coach. (And does anyone else find it odd that athletic director Pat Haden wasn't available for comment on the day he fired his basketball coach?) ... Washington's C.J. Wilcox, who was named Pac-12 Player of the Week on Monday, is his team's go-to guy. ... Arizona's rotation has been shaved to nine players. ... UCLA's coach is a man of many faces. ... Oregon State is regaining two suspended players this week. ... Oregon jumped into the AP top 25 after sweeping the Arizona schools. UCLA returned to the rankings, too, while Arizona dropped a bit. ... It's players-only-meeting time in Colorado.
That's all for now.
Christian Caple can be reached at christianc@spokesman.com. Twitter: @ChristianCaple